The band rattled to the middle of the Hot 100 in 1966 with You're Gonna Miss Me, anchored by Roky Erickson's unforgettable yelping vocals, Stacy Sutherland's guitar, and Tommy Hall's electric jug runs. According to myth, Tommy's jug was tuned by the amount of marijuana stored in it.
The group pioneered some of the first garage psychedelia on its albums The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators 1966, and the followup Easter Everywhere 1967.
However, Texas at that time was an extremely conservative area that still hadn't come to terms with 50's rock 'n' roll. The authorities and the police set out to bust the entire band for pot (and—not surprisingly—succeeded).
Stacy Sutherland was jailed. To avoid a prison term, Roky pleaded insanity—a misguided ploy that landed him in Rusk State Hospital for the criminally insane for 3 years. That turn of events spelled the end of the band, although there was a posthumous 1968 LP, Bull of the Woods.
Roky Erickson was released from hospital in 1973 and embarked upon a successful solo career that resulted in a CBS album produced by Stu Cook from Creedence Clearwater Revival. During the 1980s he struggled with mental illness and withdrew from public life for many years. However, in the 2000s he has re-emerged with one of his late 70s/early 80s backing bands, The Explosives, playing regular gigs including the Austin City Limits festival in September 2005, as well as Coachella in California, the Hultsfred Festival in Sweden and Montreal World Film festival in Canada.
On May 31, 2019, Roky Erickson passed away.
Rose and the Thorn
13th Floor Elevators Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It won't change, it won't change.
You're here to stay until your last living breath is complete.
It' won't change, it won't change.
Here she comes, my love,
With the earth beneath her feet,
My love she comes.
She cares.
She cares.
And this is not untold,
Within her eyes,
Spoken by her soul.
The dawn of truth will rise!
Liberty will find us,
Grown cold, and make him stoned.
The canon stops it's firing,
The unknown soldier will come home.
Faith cannot remain,
Wicked words have been confirmed false.
A single drop of the rain,
The rose and and thorn
The rise and the fall!
The lyrics to 13th Floor Elevators' "Rose and the Thorn" contain a mixture of romantic imagery and political symbolism. The opening lines describe a new and beautiful presence in the singer's life, which will remain a constant until the end. This can be interpreted as a pledge of loyalty or commitment to a loved one, or perhaps a sign of hope in the face of mortality. The refrain of "It won't change, it won't change" reinforces the idea of steadfastness and continuity.
The song then moves into more enigmatic territory with the introduction of the "my love" character, who is described as having the earth beneath her feet and caring deeply for the singer. There is a sense of mystery surrounding her motives and origins, as the singer does not ask why she cares. However, her sincerity and honesty are implied in the lines "Within her eyes, spoken by her soul. The dawn of truth will rise!" This could be interpreted as a message of hope for a future utopia where lies and deception are replaced by transparency and authenticity.
Line by Line Meaning
A brand new smile on a brand new angel's face.
A new beginning is represented by a pure and virtuous being, whose happiness is evident on her smile.
It won't change, it won't change.
The purity of the being will maintain constant, despite any circumstance or external influences.
You're here to stay until your last living breath is complete.
The presence of the angel will remain until the end of the singer's life.
It' won't change, it won't change.
The constant nature of the purity is reiterated, as a reminder that nothing can alter it.
Here she comes, my love,
The presence of the angel is anticipated and welcomed.
With the earth beneath her feet,
The physical manifestation of the angel on earth is highlighted, arguably emphasizing her divine nature.
My love she comes.
The singer's love and admiration for the angel is expressed, suggesting a romantic undertone.
She cares.
The angel possesses a compassionate and empathetic disposition, caring for those around her.
I do not ask her why she cares,
The artist does not question the angel's intentions or motives, recognizing the purity in her actions.
She cares.
The emphasized importance of the angel's caring nature is repeated, reinforcing her virtuous character.
And this is not untold,
The fact that the angel cares is not a secret or unknown.
Within her eyes,
Her caring nature is evident through her gaze, which reflects her soul.
Spoken by her soul.
Her caring nature is not just conveyed through her gaze, but also comes from a place within her soul.
The dawn of truth will rise!
A moment of realization or enlightenment is imminent.
Liberty will find us,
Freedom will be found or granted to the singer and those around him.
Grown cold, and make him stoned.
Any lingering negative emotions or feelings will be numbed and rejected.
The canon stops it's firing,
There will be peace and an end to violence.
The unknown soldier will come home.
A sense of closure or return will occur, possibly pertaining to a loved one who was lost during wartime.
Faith cannot remain,
Belief in something without evidence or proof will not persist.
Wicked words have been confirmed false.
Evil or deceitful language has been proven untrue or unreliable.
A single drop of the rain,
A small change or shift can have a significant impact.
The rose and the thorn
The beauty and pain that coexist in life.
The rise and the fall!
The cyclical nature of life, with its ups and downs, is acknowledged.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
St. O'Ned
My neighbors love this as well...they just threw a brick through my front windows so that they can hear it better!
Christopher Schmidt
I gotta steal that quote, that's funny
LIMP WANG
The 13th floor elevators are one of a kind. They may have had influencers for their songs but the music they created is not comparable to other bands.
Mr RockNRoll
Walking round the coast edge... Summer... Late afternoon and still light outside... Puffing a joint... With this playing at full blast... No other person around... It was bliss
Johann Kloos
The jug was essential to their sound. It powered the songs like an echoed electronic pulse, particularly on Easter Everywhere. Hardly "repetitive", it is played rhythmically , and undulates..and makes their music uniquely "psychedelic." The jug does appear on "Never Another" on BOTW but is a less dominant, rather fluid, sound that curls like tendrils.
Dbusdriver71
Thank you to everyone who brought this band back to life on youtube. I remember them along with led zepplin. totally brillant.
argosatori
Elevators and Kaleidoscope(USA)
derby1884
Listen to this band for half an hour - that's all it takes to realise how utterly banal the"music" of today is.
Karim Tabrizi
I think this is my favourite vators album. Very definitely mixed layers of psychedelia
argosatori
Back in 1987 when I first bought this vinyl(bull of the woods), it took 2 years for it to take, sink in, gel and then crystalize. It is rare sustenance--of pure meat, gospel, music of the spheres, soundtrack of your life, epic, tragic and triumphant, beyond classic-more like archetypal, almost mythic-yes vibrationally so pure albeit somewhat ..hmmm not dark really but more grey--blue --brown, cryptic but wise, a toned down elevators quite different than easter everywhere. Rose and thorn is one of my faves off this album . Thanks